


All I Ask

by Shchevalier



Category: Harry Potter by JK Rowling
Genre: Anger, Angst, Bittersweet, Draco Malfoy - Freeform, F/M, Love, Short Story, hermione granger - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-16 18:54:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21276053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shchevalier/pseuds/Shchevalier
Summary: The war was coming, and they knew they couldn’t last the night.





	All I Ask

**Author's Note:**

> Largely (read: completely) inspired by Adele’s All I Ask. Let’s get Angsty!  
(Best to read this while playing the song. Or at least listen to it before or after. It really sets the mood). 
> 
> Thank you Chelizabell for editing, and making sure my thoughts make sense <3

“YOU CANNOT DEMAND THAT OF ME!” A glass shattered near Draco’s head as he ducked out of the line of fire. He quickly stood up straight and clutched his wand by his side as he fumed at the wild-haired witch across from him. They had been fighting for awhile now. Their peaceful dinner ended quickly as he had tried yet again to convince her. 

“I AM NOT DEMANDING IT OF YOU.” He spit furiously and watched as she picked up another glass pacing across the room in front of him. Draco calmed himself, watching as her face contorted in anguish. “Hermione, listen to me, love. I need to know that you will be safe. I need to know that after all I’ve done there is still hope for you.” The second glass shattered as it slammed down on the floor in front of her. She moved toward Draco, the glass crunching angrily beneath her soles. 

“I will not...I will not leave you here to die.” She was shaking, he could see it in her hand as she pointed at him angrily, her voice strained from holding back tears. Draco sighed deeply knowing that his hands too matched that tremor. 

“You must. If you do not, they will not win. They can not win without you.” Her red eyes cut to him, glaring, but he could see his logic was getting through her emotions. 

“Harry cannot win without you, love. Weasley cannot find strength without you.” He'd hit her weak spot, he knew, but he would do anything to make her see that she was needed, that her life was more valuable than she gave herself credit. 

“Don’t, Draco. Don’t do this. You are important, too.” She was adamant "You're important to me." He smiled sadly at her. 

“I know I am, but I have made my choices; they were wrong and blinded by hate. And I must pay for them. I only ask that you continue to move forward.” She stopped and took a breath and then another. 

“Who will be my strength? Who will be my support?” She whispered it, but Draco caught it like a butterfly alighting on his hand and now tears were falling freely from her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. 

“You’re Hermione Granger, the smartest witch of our age, I imagine you’ll figure it out.” His attempt at a joke fell flat as his voice grated painfully against his throat. He swallowed, trying his best to soothe the dryness and walked over to her. 

“You are surrounded by some amazing people, who will love you, support you, and protect you. I am including the Weasleys in that, believe it or not.” She let out a wet laugh finally, and looked up at him. The pure sadness in her gaze tore at his heart. 

“But I want you.” The tears were now welling up in him, sitting on the end of his lashes. He blinked them away as best as he could. 

“And I want you.”

“Then fight for it. Fight for me, Draco.” She was becoming anxious again. He shook his head sadly. 

“I am; I’m fighting for you to have a good life. Not one where you’ll be a traitor’s whore.” 

“Do you honestly think I care about that?” It was angry, came out in a burst and the crimson in her cheeks spread down to flush out her neck. He chuckled sadly, amazed she still had a fire within. 

“Honestly? No, I don’t. You Gryffindors never have any sense of propriety, but I do. I will not have you ridiculed for the rest of your life.” 

She was quiet now, watching him, searching his face and he tried to stay impassive, but he couldn’t help it. He loved her so much; she was his best friend, his partner, his equal in all things and so much more superior than him in every way. She had shown gentleness to his harshest wounds and strength in his weakest moments. Hermione had shown complete confidence and poise when he lost himself or his temper; she was fierce and fought against him, but mostly, she fought for him. The tears clinging to his lashes fell now, and he had no intention of holding them back; this was worth weeping over, this lost love. So he gathered her in his arms and held tight, so tight he felt he might hurt her, but she didn’t complain, she only held him back. His tears fell down, and wet her curls; his chest was soaked through with her tears. They stayed like this for awhile until both their sobs slowed down and their breath evened out. She gently pushed on his chest and looked into his eyes, her voice thick with tears.

“Then lets do this the right way.” She said it as if to herself as she splayed her fingers wider on his chest. “Let’s...pretend that tonight nothing has changed, that we will end up together, that this won’t tear us apart.” He closed his eyes for a second, understanding her need to make a memory that could last, that could bring them through the hardest parts. There lips met gently and then again to savor what it felt like. He pressed his forehead to hers, nodding slightly, willing to do anything to make her happy. It mattered to her how it ended, and he, in a strange way, seemed to understand why it mattered, because what if they, if this...love, what if they never found it? Tomorrow the war would be finished, he would be labeled a traitor, and she would be found a hero.


End file.
